This Same Jesus

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                        Acts 1:11

This Same Jesus

by Robert T. Cooper

The Jesus Who ascended from the ridge of the Mount of Olives some 40 days after His Resurrection is the exact same Jesus Who will return to Earth to the very same ridge of the Mount of Olives.

There have been several attempts throughout history to characterize the Jesus of the Day of the Lord as a “different” Jesus. There have been the attempts of cults to create a Jesus with a different backstory and a different future. There have been the attempts of non-Christian religions to create a Jesus who is not a Person of the Trinity, the Second Person, God the Son, in particular. Sometimes this Jesus is a mere prophet. Sometimes He is an angel. Sometimes He is simply the Christ Spirit.

But the Jesus Who ascended is the exact same Jesus known personally today by those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Jesus who is known personally today by Christian disciples is the exact same Jesus Who is coming again.

Those who have not yet placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior cannot fully comprehend the certainty of Christian disciples. However, they are invited to repent and believe. Then they will commence a relationship with Jesus, Who is and Who is to come.

If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, briefly comment about your relationship with your personal Redeemer.

Or

If you have not yet placed your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are invited to do so at this time. When you do, record it in the comments section so we may rejoice with you.

When Will We Ever Learn?

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 1:4

When Will We Ever Learn?

by Robert T. Cooper

When are we going to learn to do what God says, when He says it, the way He says it? He doesn’t mean in a few minutes or when we get around to it. He doesn’t mean for us to find ways to improve on His idea. He just wants us to trust Him and follow His instructions.

1.      When He says to stay, stay. When He says to go, go.

At one time there were 500 who saw the resurrected Christ. Yet on the day of Pentecost, a holy day of obligation when all observant Jews were supposed to be in Jerusalem, there were only 120 in the upper room who received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Where were the rest? What might the Pentecost harvest have been had the other 380 been where they were supposed to be?

2.      When you are engaged in God-directed activity, do it in God’s power.

The hymn says, “The arm of flesh will fail you.” Yet we try to do things “for God” in our own strength. Why? Why do we fail to use God’s power when it is readily available to us? It can only be pride or lack of trust.

3.      Keep God’s Word in your heart, mind, and actions.

God the Father has spoken. God the Son has spoken. It is recorded in Scripture. It is recorded in nature and in history. Read it. Memorize it. Pray it. Meditate on it. Contemplate it. Practice it. Live it. Teach it.

I heard a story about a man who was impressed by the Holy Spirit to witness to a neighbor. Now this man needed to run to the post office, so he thought he’d stop by the neighbor’s house and witness to him while he was out running his errand. He told his wife what he was planning to do and headed out. Driving along, he saw his neighbor was mowing, but was nearly through, so the man thought he’d go on to the post office and stop on the way home.

When he came back by, the yard still wasn’t quite finished, the mower was still out, but no one answered the door. The man went home and told his wife how his good intentions had been thwarted. The wife said, “Oh, no! Did you not hear? The man had a heart attack in his front yard. He died in the ambulance on his way to the hospital.” The man was sorry he had not stopped to witness to his neighbor before going to the post office.

When are we going to learn to do what God says, when He says it, the way He says it?

For your comments: Have you had an experience when you did not do what God said and you were sorry?

The Verb “to Give” Brings New Insight

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 1:4

The Verb “to Give” Brings New Insight

by Robert T. Cooper

1.      There is a gift.

2.      The gift has recipients.

3.      The gift is the commands of Jesus.

OK, we get it! We are saved by grace. We don’t do anything to earn it. We just have to be careful that we don’t slip into thinking that our obedience to Jesus earns us any merit with God. We don’t do works to be saved; we do works because we are saved.

Then we get all those sermons on the Great Commission: “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” And from the Gospel of John, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” And wasn’t it nice of Bill Gothard to compile for us a list of all the commands of Jesus? I’ve got to get me a copy of that book one of these days.

But I thought Jesus’ yoke was supposed to be easy and his burthen light! Well, reading this verse a word sticks out at us and we suddenly discover a hint: Jesus “gave them this command.” It was a gift! Maybe it was kind of like that hapless fellow who gave his wife a new vacuum cleaner for their wedding anniversary; along with the gift was the implication that something would be done with the gift that did not involve pure enjoyment. But when you consider the commands of Jesus as gifts, they take on an entirely different color, don’t they?

In this particular case, the command was a gift to a particular group of people, or at least part of the command was. Face it, we aren’t all supposed to go to Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps another time we may consider whether there is anything in the command for some or even all of us today. But one should be careful in reading the Bible. Not all popular verses mean what they seem to mean when taken out of context. Sometimes it matters and sometimes it doesn’t. It simply means that care should be taken (and often people do not take enough care).

So we are left with the idea that Jesus gifts us with His commands. “Be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”

What do you usually do with gifts? You receive them with joy, thank the giver, and use those gifts appropriately to enhance your life. Hmmm.

For your comments: What about this idea of receiving Jesus’ commands with joy? Have you ever thanked Jesus for particular commands He has given you? Have you ever considered how particular commands of Jesus might enhance your life?

How Long Have You Been a Disciple of Jesus?

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                              Acts 1:2

How Long Have You Been a Disciple of Jesus?

by Robert T. Cooper

It may have been decades since you placed your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It may have been mere hours. I became a disciple 53 years ago, as of this writing. Some have followed Jesus longer, some shorter.

The Apostles Jesus had chosen followed Him while He was alive on Earth for 3½ years. After the Resurrection, until the Ascension, Jesus appeared to the Apostles over a period of 40 days. All during the 3½ years and all during the 40 days, Jesus was giving instructions to the Apostles. A majority of those instructions also apply to us as disciples of Jesus. We find out about those instructions in the pages of the New Testament. It is important to absorb the New Testament into our hearts and lives so that we will live out those instructions, not as a set of legalistic rules, but as a natural way of life.

One interesting thing is that Jesus gave those instructions to the Apostles through the Holy Spirit. Even though Jesus is God the Son, this is one aspect of His earthly ministry that He performed in the manner that you and I have to perform our ministries. We have to pay attention to the direction and promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we pray and as we meditate on the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit helps to adjust our thinking to the way God wants us to think. He helps us to make the right decisions. We can trust Him.

In summary, here are the three points:

1.      Jesus gave instructions. They are in the New Testament. Pay attention to them.

2.      Jesus had to pay attention to the Holy Spirit to do His earthly ministry. You need to pay attention to the Holy Spirit to do your ministry too.

3.      Jesus gave instructions to the apostles. A majority of those instructions apply to you. Since you are His chosen person to do His ministry today, He will see to it that you have all the instructions you need.

There are some advantages to having been a follower of Jesus for a longer period of time, but you have been in the faith quite long enough for everything Jesus has for you to do today. By the way, the word “disciple” means “learner.” In the comments section, leave me a note about some instruction you have learned lately.